U.S. patent application number 10/312825 was filed with the patent office on 2004-02-19 for garment hanger.
Invention is credited to Roberts, James Edward.
Application Number | 20040031825 10/312825 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 9894657 |
Filed Date | 2004-02-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040031825 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Roberts, James Edward |
February 19, 2004 |
Garment hanger
Abstract
This invention relates to a garment hanger comprising two parts
or elements (2, 2') which are hinged together so that they can be
folded from a first relatively flat or opened out configuration to
a second configuration in which the two parts or elements are
adjacent and facing each other, at least one of the parts including
first means (11) by which the hanger can depend from a support when
in its second configuration, the two parts providing second means
(12) from which a garment can be hung. The two parts or elements
are preferably of a flexible stiff sheet material such as a
corrugated material, e.g. corrugated cardboard.
Inventors: |
Roberts, James Edward;
(Nantwich, GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ALIX YALE & RISTAS LLP
750 MAIN STREET
SUITE 1400
HARTFORD
CT
06103
US
|
Family ID: |
9894657 |
Appl. No.: |
10/312825 |
Filed: |
September 8, 2003 |
PCT Filed: |
June 29, 2001 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/GB01/02884 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
223/85 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 25/36 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
223/85 ;
409/172 |
International
Class: |
A41D 027/22; B23C
001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 29, 2000 |
GB |
0015945.9 |
Claims
1. A garment hanger comprising two parts or elements which are
hinged together so that they can be folded from a first relatively
flat or opened out configuration to a second configuration in which
the two parts or elements are adjacent and facing each other, at
least one of the parts or elements including first means by which
the hanger can depend from a support when in its second
configuration, the two parts providing second means from which a
garment can be hung.
2. A hanger according to claim 1, wherein the two parts are hinged
together along at least one fold line.
3. A hanger according to claim 2, wherein the two parts are hinged
together along two parallel fold lines.
4. A hanger according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the first means is
remote from the at least one fold line.
5. A hanger according to any preceding claim, wherein the first
means is in the form of a hook.
6. A hanger according to any preceding claim, wherein the second
means comprises shoulders at upper edges of the hanger when in its
second configuration, whereby a shirt or jacket can be hung on the
hanger.
7. A hanger according to any preceding claim, wherein the second
means comprises a trouser shelf.
8. A hanger according to claim 7, wherein the trouser shelf
comprises flap hingedly connected to one of said parts.
9. A hanger according to claim 8, wherein the flap can rest upon an
edge of the other part when the hanger is in its second
configuration to act as a trouser brake.
10. A hanger according to any of claims 7 to 9, wherein the trouser
shelf is at the upper edges of apertures, each in a respective one
of the parts and which are aligned with each other when the hanger
is in its second configuration and which are closed at their
ends.
11. A hanger according to any preceding claim, further including
means from which one or more clothing accessories can be hung.
12. A hanger according to any preceding claim, further comprising
means for securing the two parts together to maintain them in their
second configuration.
13. A hanger according to claim 12, wherein the means comprises at
least one tab on one part and engageable with the other part.
14. A hanger according to any preceding claim, formed of
cardboard.
15. A hanger according to any preceding claim, formed of corrugated
sheet material.
16. A hanger according to claim 15, wherein when the hanger is in
its second configuration the corrugations or flutes in one said
part or element are transverse to the corrugations or flutes of the
other part or element.
17. A hanger according to claim 16, wherein the corrugations or
flutes of the each part are at an angle in the range of 30 to
60.degree. relative to the at least one fold line.
18. A garment hanger formed by cutting from a sheet of material and
including first means by which the hanger can depend from a support
and second means from which a garment can be hung.
19. A garment hanger comprising two parts formed of corrugated
sheet material one which can be arranged adjacent and having each
other with the corrugations or flutes of one part being transverse
to or slanted relative to the corrugations or flutes of the other
parts, at least one of the parts including first means by which the
hanger can depend from a support and at least one of the parts
providing second means from which a garment can be hung.
20. A hanger according to claim 18 or 19 and further in accordance
with any of claims 1 to 14.
21. A garment hanger substantially as herein described with
reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Description
[0001] This invention relates to a clothes hanger.
[0002] Clothes hangers are widely used in domestic and retail
environments. They are generally to be produced from either metal
or plastic and consequently are prone to either bending or
snapping. Wire hangers can misshape clothing, and most end up
accumulating in wardrobes and are rarely suitably disposed of.
[0003] The present invention is aimed at both the retail and
domestic markets and provides, at least in preferred embodiments, a
low cost and more environmentally friendly alternative, capable of
carrying one or more items of clothing or clothing accessories such
as shirts, jackets, ties, skirts and trousers. Once the hanger has
served its purpose, it can be easily disposed of and recycled.
[0004] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there
is provided a garment hanger comprising two parts or elements which
are hinged together so that they can be folded from a first
relatively flat or opened out configuration to a second
configuration in which the two parts or elements are adjacent and
facing each other, at least one of the parts including first means
by which the hanger can depend from a support when in its second
configuration, the two parts providing second means from which a
garment can be hung.
[0005] The two parts or elements are preferably of a flexible stiff
sheet material such as a corrugated material, e.g. corrugated
cardboard.
[0006] The corrugations or flutes of one part or element are
preferably transverse or slanted relative to the corrugations or
flutes of the other part. Preferably the corrugations or flutes of
one part are at an angle of 60 to 120.degree., more preferably 80
to 100.degree., relative to the corrugations or flutes of the other
part. To this end the corrugations or flutes are preferably at an
angle of 30 to 60.degree., more preferably 40 to 50.degree.,
relative to at least one fold line along which the two parts are
hinged together.
[0007] Embodiments of the present invention are described below by
way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0008] FIG. 1 shows, in perspective, a first hanger according to
the invention, fully assembled;
[0009] FIG. 2 shows, fully opened out, a blank from which the first
hanger is formed or assembled;
[0010] FIG. 3 shows the first hanger partially assembled;
[0011] FIG. 4 shows, in perspective, a detail of a second hanger
according to the invention;
[0012] FIG. 5 shows, in perspective, the second hanger;
[0013] FIGS. 6A and 6B show two cross-sectional views of
alternative ways the trouser shelf of the first or second hanger
may be disposed or arranged;
[0014] FIGS. 7A and 7B shows the manner in which blanks to form the
first and second hangers respectively may be tessellated on a sheet
of material (corrugated cardboard) from which they are to be cut;
and
[0015] FIG. 7C shows a detail of FIG. 7.
[0016] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3 of the drawings, the first hanger
is formed or assembled from a blank 1 (FIG. 2) die cut from a sheet
of corrugated cardboard. The corrugated cardboard is either virgin
or recycled 4 mm thick corrugated cardboard (having planar surfaces
i.e. two spaced planar outer sheets connected by an intermediate
corrugated sheet) with the corrugations or corrugate flute running
diagonally across the hanger in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 2
(and FIG. 7).
[0017] FIG. 2 shows the blank fully opened in its flat state. The
blank comprises two matching (except as described below) parts or
elements 2 and 2' defined by a pair of mutually parallel fold lines
3, a strip 4 being defined between the fold lines 3. The corrugate
flute is at 45.degree. to the fold lines 3.
[0018] The parts 2 and 2' are formed with like short, upper
apertures 5 and 5', respectively, and like long, apertures 6 and 6'
respectively, each aperture being closed at its ends.
[0019] The part 2 includes two tabs or fingers 7 connected to the
remainder of the part along fold lines at the ends of the aperture
5, these fold lines being at right angles to the fold lines 3. Each
tab 7 also has a pair of fold lines intermediate its end connected
to the remainder of the part 2 at one end of the aperture 5 and its
free end, these fold lines also being at right angles to the fold
lines 3.
[0020] Rectangular holes or slots 8 are cut into the part 2'
adjacent but spaced from the ends of the aperture 5', to leave
small flags hinged to the remainder of the part 2' in the
lengthwise direction of the slot.
[0021] The part 2 further includes a flap 9 extending the length of
the aperture 6 and connected to the remainder of the part 3 along a
fold line 10 parallel to the fold lines 3.
[0022] Each part has a hook formation 11 remote from the fold lines
3. The upper edge 12 of each part 2 and 2' slopes away from the
hook formation 11.
[0023] To assemble the hanger the two parts 2 and 2' are folded
towards each other about the fold lines 3 to form a narrow channel
between the parts 2 and 2' and the strip 4. The tabs 7 are fed
through the aperture 5' and folded and inserted into the holes 8 of
the part 2' to lock the two parts 2, 2' together to form the
hanger, as shown in FIG. 1. The small flaps at the slots 8 assist
in retaining the tabs 7 in the holes 8. The two hook formations 11
are in contact with each other and in alignment with each other to
form a hook 15.
[0024] The flap 9 (not shown in FIG. 1) is folded down along the
fold line 10 to rest upon the lower edge of the aperture 6 of the
part 2'. (See below description relating to FIGS. 6A and 6B).
[0025] The adjacent pairs of edges 12 form shoulders 12'.
[0026] A jacket or skirt can be hung upon the hanger, supported by
the shoulders 12'. Clothing accessories such as ties and belts can
be passed through the apertures 5 and hung from the hanger.
[0027] The legs of a pair of trousers may be passed through the
apertures 6, 6' and thereby hung from the hanger. The flap 9 acts
as a shelf to mitigate creasing of the trouser legs transversely of
the legs and (when the flap is folded as shown in FIG. 6B, as
described below) its longitudinal free edge acts as a brake to
inhibit the trousers slipping off the hanger.
[0028] The edges 12 of one part 2 are slightly spaced from the
edges 12 of the other part 2' (see FIG. 1) thereby to increase the
width of the shoulders 12' to mitigate misshaping of garments such
as a jacket hung on the hanger. The stiffness of the hanger is
enhanced by the fact that the blank is bent about the fold lines 3.
The corrugated flutes of one part 2, 2' are at 90.degree. to the
corrugate flute of the other part 2, 2' in the assembled hanger
whereby the stiffness of the assembled hanger is considerably
further enhanced: bending of the hanger out of the plane of either
part 2, 2' is difficult.
[0029] The hanger can be suspended from a rail in a wardrobe by the
hook formation 15.
[0030] To open out the hanger, the assembly steps described above
are simply reversed.
[0031] Text and graphics may be printed or written on the blank so
as to be visible in the assembled hanger.
[0032] The fact that the hanger is made of a single piece of
cardboard minimises production and assembly costs.
[0033] Alternative means of securing one part 2, 2' to the other
part 2, 2' may be used. One such means comprises provision of a tab
of one part and a slot through the other part, the head of the tab
being provided with barbs so that when pushed through the slot it
cannot readily be withdrawn.
[0034] Instead of the use of tabs to fasten the two parts together,
glue may be used. The blank and other like blanks may be cut from a
single sheet of corrugated cardboard, the arrangement of the blanks
being such as to minimise waste of the sheet material.
[0035] Notches may be provided towards the ends of the shoulders
for waist loops of a skirt or straps of a dress to be hung from the
hanger (as with the second hanger, described below).
[0036] One hook formation 11 alone may suffice to provide a
satisfactory hook. I.e. only the part 2 or 2' need have a hook
formation 11. However, with only one hook formation the hook would
be more likely to be inadvertently bent.
[0037] Referring to FIGS. 4, 5, 7B and 7C of the drawings, the
second hanger is, except as described below, similar to the first
hanger and like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts.
Assembly of the second hanger from the blank is likewise similar to
that of the first hanger.
[0038] In the second hanger, the part 2 is formed with flaps 20
along its edges 12, the flaps 20 being connected to the remainder
of the part 2 at fold lines 21 along the edges 12.
[0039] The flaps 20 are formed with slots 22. Each flap 20 also has
a fold line 23 parallel to the fold line 21 and running adjacent
the edge of the slot 22 remote from the fold line 21.
[0040] Each flap 20 terminates, remotely from the fold line 23, in
a tab or flap 24 (see FIG. 7B) itself formed with two lateral
subsidiary tabs or flaps 25. The tab 24 is connected to the
remainder of the flap 20 along a fold line 27 parallel to the fold
lines 21 and 23 and the tabs 25 as connected to the remainder of
the tab 24 along fold lines at about 50.degree. to the fold line
27.
[0041] The part 2' is formed with tabs or projections 34 on its
edges 12, each tab extending from the edge 12 by a distance equal
to (or slightly less than) the thickness of the cardboard from
which the blank is cut. The tabs 34 are not hinged relative to the
remainder of the part 2' i.e. they are substantially rigidly
connected to the remainder of the part 2'.
[0042] The part 2' is also formed with apertures 28.
[0043] Notches 29 are provided toward the outer ends of the edge 12
for waist loops of a skirt or straps of a dress to be hung from the
hanger.
[0044] The second hanger does not have the tabs 7 and apertures 8
of the first hanger.
[0045] To assemble the second hanger, after the two parts have been
folded towards each other along the fold lines 3 to form the narrow
channel, the flaps 20 are folded about the fold lines 21 across the
edges 12 of the part 2' and the tabs 34 are each inserted into a
respective one of the slots 22, from which they do not protrude.
The flaps 20 are then folded down along the fold lines 23 to lie
adjacent the part 2'.
[0046] As this is done, the tabs 24 are inserted into the apertures
28. This necessitates folding the subsidiary tabs 25 to allow the
tabs 24 to enter the apertures 28. The tabs 24 are then opened out
between the parts 2 and 2' to lock the hanger into its assembled
state.
[0047] The flaps 20 provide a shoulder over the parts 2 and 2'
protecting a jacket or shirt hung on the hanger from abrasion and
creasing.
[0048] The flap 9 of the first or second hanger may be folded down
along the fold line 10 and further folded along a fold line 10'
parallel to the fold line 10 so as to lie entirely between the
parts 2 and 2' whereby to create a box section (as shown in FIG.
6A) which increases the strength and lateral stiffness of the
hanger.
[0049] Alternatively the flap may be folded along the fold line 10'
but left (as shown in FIG. 6B) with its free edge portion
protruding through the aperture 6' of the part 2' so that its free
edge can act as a brake to inhibit trousers slipping off the hanger
as described above.
[0050] The shapes of the blanks of the first and second hanger lend
themselves to being disposed in a tessellated arrangement of the
material from which the blanks can cut, thereby minimising wastage
of the material.
[0051] FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C respectively show such tessellated
arrangements of the blanks to form first and second hangers as
described above.
* * * * *